Throughout time there has been endless speculation concerning the fulfillment of times. We are immersed in end-time prophesy and speculation from people who seek our best interests and people who don’t. The amount of confusing and conflicting information is at this point too large a volume to sort through. For the average person it is left alone, and the end time has gained the notoriety of hell on earth. This section will only deal with one small part, the events surrounding the call to leave Babylon in Revelation 18:4-6. It can be done in part through the scientific method of falsification. Falsification is an argument proving what something is by showing what it is not. For example; if we say “God loves me,” its falsification shows what God cannot do in love.

If God loves me He cannot seek my destruction. If God loves me He will not lie to me. If God loves me He will not abuse my trust In Him. By showing what “God loves me” is not, we can get a clear picture of what it means. Falsification or falsifying (in this sense) shows that if any of the above statements are false God does not love me, i.e. if He lies to me He does not love me.

Using this we can define what His loving us means in logical terms according to what we can understand. Applying this type of test to Scripture is sometimes useful to find out meanings. In this section the first question is what and where is this “Babylon” mentioned in Revelation 17, 18. By determining what Babylon cannot be we can narrow the field and find “the great whore” and end speculation. We can do this by looking at her characteristics given by God Himself.

If Babylon is the “the great city, the great whore on many waters, sits on 7 mountains, all merchants go to her, and reigns over the kings of the earth… Babylon at the time of this fulfillment; • Cannot have a people of one descent and language or culture

Cannot be composed of a single or a few ethnic groups [Rev 17:15]

• Cannot be an empty city. [ibid] • Cannot have a second rate military{Rev 17:18]

• Cannot be a former superpower[Rev 17:18]

• Cannot have a second rate economy[Rev 18:11-14]

• Cannot be without influence in the world[Rev 17:9]

• Cannot be secular[Rev 17:3]

• Cannot hold the true Faith[Rev 17:4]

Looked at logically according to Gods description Babylon cannot be European. Even though there is a great influx of immigrants, no country of Europe will ever be a nation of “Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues”. The same holds for Africa. Each country is divided on ethnic lines. In Asia based on the same Russia is composed of a few varying nations but like China is also excluded on this one line. Babylon in Iraq is excluded on this one line. The countries of Central and South America are also excluded. This was done on only one point.

With each point of the falsification more reasons and more countries are excluded from being Babylon. Babylon cannot have a second rate military, Babylon cannot be a former superpower {Rev 17:18] If Babylon is “the” current superpower Babylon cannot be a South American, European or African country. The days of their presumed might are long over. Babylon cannot be Russia as shown already, but away from that fact Russia (USSR) is no longer a super power. China cannot although it is the emerging superpower because difference in dialect does not constitute different nations.

There are no other candidates on the Asian continent. Babylon cannot have a second rate economy [Rev 18:11-14] Babylon must have the world’s strongest economy and be its largest importer. This negates China because it is the world’s largest exporter. Japan is negated although it imports much and has a first rate economy it by no stretch can be considered a superpower. Its imports are not enough to create the reaction in Rev 18:11-14. It is the same for each European country. Africa does not enter this equation or South America. Australia or Canada does not come into question either. .

The falsification can be finished by any believer who cares. Again the Apostle commended the Bereans for looking themselves, not their willingness to take anything for granted. Positive Proofs If all we had was a few paragraphs to determine the identity of Babylon it would be unjust to do so. What we do have is the referencing of Jeremiah 50-51, Isaiah 13, 47-48 serving as touchstones and explanations to Revelation 17-18. These serve to expand on Babylon’s identity.

Historically Babylon was not ever destroyed. Although captured by each successive super power Babylon remained a city of influence for a few hundred years after the Destruction of the Temple. It was a major “Christian and Jewish city,” Babylon fell into disrepair and was eventually abandoned under Parthian rule with the ascendency of Bagdad as the new Capitol.

[Jeremiah 50:12. Jeremiah 50:23, 51:20, 53] She is identified as the youngest of the nations and the hammer of the world. She has been the battle axe of God. This certifies Babylon as a new class of superpower. Her defenses are as though they reach up into heaven. She has a strong presence on seven continents. [Isaiah 47:15. Revelation 17:2; Revelation 18: 3, 9, 11-13, 14,15, 16, 17-19, 22, 23, & 19:2] Babylon is identified as the engine for world’s economy, principal trade center, and leading center for imports and consumption for the goods of the world. Babylon has the single largest and greatest economy in the world. It has a good manufacturing base. This is made emphatic after her destruction when the worlds merchants morn her. She is populated by the diversity of the world. She contains a large immigrant population. She is also an agricultural center. Babylon lives in luxury and is a cultural center. Her merchants are the great men of the earth. The lifestyle of her people is the envy of the world.

Everything about her is larger than life. The world emulates and envies her. [Jeremiah 51:44, Revelation 17:18] Babylon is the center for diplomacy. It is where the nations go to meet. [Jeremiah 50:6, 7] In this regard because the Revelation was written by the Apostle she can be identified as an apostate Christian society.

Like the Romans before whose culture has dominated for millennia after their destruction she only sees her former glory. Within the context of her religious framework she was once chaste, but like everything else about her she has corrupted.

Her people are no longer led by shepherds, but simply herded where they will go. Her religion is run from the top down paying lip homage to her former glory. This shows itself to be a variant form of “king’s theology.” Leadership answers solely to God. Within this context religious and secular leaders have the freedom to do and teach as they please as long as they pay homage to the former glory.

Within the context of secular leadership it is the justification and cover needed to take advantage of poorer nations. Because she exports this brand of religion, less sophisticated nations may take it and justify atrocities along with her under the cover of the kings priority (God establishes leadership, therefore every action is justified) or pragmatically it was necessary for the good of the nation.

Theologically its enemies are always evil. Politically it will always make common ground between the leadership of nations no matter how despotic, as long as it is beneficial and they take cover under her system. Its stressors are conformity to leadership and would emphasize the examples of past dictatorships whose followers willingly gave themselves for their cause such as Stalin, Mao, or Hitler as being admirable. This type of religion infects the national leadership and then works its way down through the levels of religious leadership to the people. What is like Babylon? With all these blessings what in history can compare?